The perpetrator of the Trappes bombing says he shot "Arabs and blacks" to avenge the merchants looted on Oct. 17

Kevin T., a 39-year-old man with prior police records, admitted to investigators that he shot at "Arabs and Blacks" to avenge shopkeepers damaged during the riots of October 17, according to statements released by Le Monde. The admission emerged as French authorities processed the suspect following a deadly shooting spree in the Paris suburbs of Trappes and La Verrière on Friday. One man died and five others were wounded in the attack, which President Emmanuel Macron designated as a racist terrorist act. The incident occurred in the days leading up to new nationwide demonstrations against educational precarity and rising costs of living, heightening tensions in a country already strained by civil unrest. The shooting took place early Friday morning when the gunman opened fire from his vehicle using an old British automatic rifle dating back to World War II. Witnesses reported that the attacker drove through three distinct locations: a petrol station, a health center, and a children's playground. Video footage captured the suspect’s car riddled with bullet holes after the arrest. The victim was identified as a 26-year-old man of African origin. Among the five injured was a 12-year-old girl who sustained eight gunshot wounds and remained in serious condition. Three other victims were described by investigators as being of African or North African appearance. Macron traveled to the scene shortly after the attacks, visiting the town hall and speaking with the public prosecutor. He characterized the event as a turning point for the Republic, stating it was the first planned terrorist act intended to kill citizens based on skin color or religion. The President expressed deep emotion and solidarity with the families, warning that the nation would not yield to ideologies taking root. However, his characterization drew sharp criticism from Jordan Bardella, president of the National Assembly faction of the Rassemblement National. Bardella accused Macron of political manipulation, arguing that the President failed to acknowledge Jewish victims of the Toulouse school attack or Catholic victims in Nice. Local officials offered varied perspectives on the incident. Ali Rabeh, the left-wing mayor of Trappes of Moroccan descent, labeled the attack racist and Islamophobic. He noted that the targets could have included his own family members. Rabeh warned that political speeches blaming Arab-Muslim communities for societal problems arm potential perpetrators and lead to death. He called for collective responsibility and a return to republican concordance. Nicolas Dainville, the mayor of neighboring La Verrière, stated that the suspect appeared to be of European type. Marine Le Pen, a presidential candidate, condemned the act as barbaric and demanded severe punishment for those responsible. Manuel Bompard, coordinator of La France Insoumise, emphasized that the shooter selected victims based on skin color. The National Anti-Terrorist Prosecutor’s Office, known as PNAT, formally opened an investigation into murder linked to a terrorist enterprise. Prosecutors indicated that the suspect chose his targets based on actual or perceived membership in a specific race, ethnicity, nation, or religion. The agency revealed that traces of cocaine and cannabis were found in the suspect’s blood. Additionally, investigators reported that the suspect claimed to be receiving treatment for schizophrenia. On Saturday, the suspect was placed under psychiatric observation to determine if his mental state permitted the extension of his detention. Police discovered a trap device prepared at the suspect’s home, likely designed to explode when law enforcement arrived. Searches of the residence yielded grenades, homemade explosives, three gas cylinders, and a copy of Adolf Hitler’s Mein Kampf. At the time of his arrest, the suspect possessed the semi-automatic weapon, tear gas grenades, and white powder suspected to be cocaine. While the suspect was known to police, he was not listed among individuals considered a serious threat to national security by intelligence services. Four other individuals from the suspect’s immediate environment, including his mother, were detained and questioned in the hours following the attack. Relatives and friends of the suspect remained in police custody as of Sunday. Police assessed the incident as isolated but continued investigating possible links to the far right. The broader context includes the aftermath of the October 17 riots, which saw widespread looting and violence. Interior Ministry data showed that subsequent protests on October 24 resulted in 1,314 arrests and 53 injured police officers, a decrease from the 2,628 arrests and 1,114 injuries recorded during the previous weekend. Only 24 acts of looting were registered compared to 1,533 the prior Saturday. Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu promised the mobilization of all state resources in response to the tragedy.